The Evening Train
by MaiMeo
Summary: Manami was too absorbed in her experiments again and didn't realize how late it had gotten. She was prepared to be crushed by the crowds of the evening train, but she never expected to run into Satan himself: Akabane Karma.


She let out a sigh of exhaustion as she dragged her feet onto the train. The sky burned in an orange hue, signaling the end of the day.

 _I should really start setting alarms when I go to the lab,_ Manami thought.

It was the third time that week that she had stayed until sunset. She didn't particularly mind, but her grandmother would always worry.

What Manami really cared about was how crowded the train got around this time.

As more people flooded into the train, Manami's small figure was engulfed by the mass. The rhythmic rocking didn't help her situation either. All she could do was mumble simple apologies every time she bumped against someone.

Suddenly, the train jerked on the tracks, which threw Manami off balance.

"Ow…" she mumbled against a tall figure, rubbing her nose. "I'm so sorry for bump-eek!"

She met liquid gold eyes and blazing red hair when she looked up. Of all people she could bump into, she had to bump into the Red Demon of X High School: Akabane Karma. Although he was a born genius, he was notorious for his violent antics.

She quickly pushed herself away. "I-I'm s-sor-ah!" she said before the train's motions threw the two against each other again.

Manami bit back a sob. She was firmly pressed against Satan himself, stepping on his right foot, and she could feel one of her braids coming undone. _Dear God, I promise I'll properly study for language arts if you let me live._

"Pfft. You're pretty weird, aren't you?"

Her violet eyes snapped upwards. "D-Did I say that out loud?"

"Yeah, you did," Karma laughed. He grabbed the girl's shoulders (earning an amusing noise of surprise from her) and flipped their positions, effectively pinning her to the door of the train.

"There. This is a little better, don't you think?" he said, trying not to laugh at the face Manami was making. _She's like a little rabbit or something._

Manami, on the other hand, was sure she was going to faint. The devil towered over her shaking figure and caged her in between his arms, preventing her escape. His proximity was more than a little uncomfortable, but she didn't dare to try to push him away. He was so close that she could feel his warmth, even through his black cardigan. The sound of his deep chuckles were clear. It was almost as if he was playing with his food before deciding to devour everything in one gulp. She could faintly smell what she assumed was his cologne. It smelled of… strawberries?

"Hey, that tickles, y'know?"

Realizing what she had done, Manami snapped her head away from his chest… right into the sliding door behind her.

 _Thump!_

Concerned (but also very entertained), Karma began, "Hey, are you alrig-"

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" Manami sputtered before he had a chance to finish. "I didn't mean to smell your chest! You just smelled like strawberries so I suddenly-!"

The boy couldn't help but laugh at the nervous wreck in front of him. Even though she was holding her head in pain, she was doing her best to bow in apology.

"Relax," Karma said, playfully ruffling her hair. "I won't bite. Just tell me when it's your stop."

Manami gave him a confused look through her disheveled bangs, but decided to simply nod. The two stood in silence, bathing in the warm hues of the sunset.

Soon, her stop came. Manami tentatively deboarded the train, but was stopped when she felt a light tug on her braid.

"Here," Karma said, placing a small carton in her hand. "Since you were so interested about it earlier."

Her cheeks bloomed like roses at the smirk the devil gave her. "W-Wait! I-I wasn't-!"

"It was fun meeting you! Bye~!" he interjected and boarded another train. Upon further inspection, Manami could see that the train was going in the opposite direction.

Manami clutched her newly obtained strawberry milk as she gazed at the departing train.

 _Maybe he's not so scary after all._

* * *

This is meant to be a oneshot, but if I feel like it I might continue.


End file.
